Health

Personal essay by Mary Ruskell, CNN (CNN) — My friend Sammy turned around at his desk and grinned at me. He held out his phone and waved it in front of my face, the universal sign for “Look at this!” It was a video of a capybara in a swimming pool, seemingly treading water like

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — Ozempic, the blockbuster GLP-1 drug that was originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes, has now also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce certain risks associated with chronic kidney disease, drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Tuesday. A Phase 3 clinical trial found that injections of

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — A wave of tuberculosis cases hitting the Kansas City, Kansas, metro area has caused dozens of illnesses and at least two deaths, according to the state health department. Cases related to the outbreak were first reported in January 2024, and there were two reported TB deaths last year associated

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — More frequent use of marijuana damages the brain’s working memory, which could lead to issues with safety, communications and work success, a new study found. “Working memory is the ability to retain information for a short period of time and use it,” said lead study author Joshua Gowin, an

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — Trust in public health in the United States has been steadily declining since the Covid-19 pandemic, and President Donald Trump and his administration face an American public that’s deeply divided on the issue, polls show. This week, Robert F. Kennedy – Trump’s highly controversial pick to lead public health

By Brenda Goodman and Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — Staff at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been ordered to stop communicating with the World Health Organization, according to a new memo, dealing a significant blow to global health efforts. The directive was made in accordance with President Donald Trump’s January 20

By Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN (CNN) — If you have resolved to start a regular exercise regimen this year — congrats! But does that mean you need to buy pricey fitness apparel? While exercise-specific clothing can be a worthwhile investment, it’s not necessarily a requirement, experts say. “If you’re exercising purely for fun or to

By Joshua Korber Hoffman, CNN (CNN) — Wondering why you’re already struggling with that New Year’s resolution? A new study suggests that forming healthy new habits takes a lot longer than we thought. For years, popular wisdom has held that it takes just 21 days to add a new habit to your daily routine. But

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Sam Dylan Finch was 27 years old when he reached a breaking point. Having dealt with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and procrastination for much of his life, Finch was proud he’d earned enough trust to be offered a director’s position at a company whose mission he deeply cared about,

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — Phones have replaced many things: computers, calculators, cameras and maps. But returning to an old-fashioned alarm clock instead of your phone might help you get up and go in the morning. “Keeping the phone in another room will likely decrease the opportunity for distraction from sleep, and also decrease

By Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN (CNN) — Carefully cleaning exercise equipment was the norm when the Covid-19 pandemic was raging. But today you might be less attentive to pathogens, even in crowded spaces such as fitness centers. That neglect could be a problem, experts say, because gyms are rife with potentially harmful germs. Nearly 75%

By Meg Tirrell and Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Matthew Memoli, a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases researcher focused on flu and other respiratory viruses, has been named acting director of the nearly $50 billion agency. A confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, hasn’t

By Brenda Goodman and Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — After purchasing for research at the National Institutes of Health was put on hold last week, employees have now been told they can continue working with some current vendors, according to a memo obtained by CNN. Scientists at the NIH had been told the communications pause

By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has withdrawn the proposed rule that would ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars according to the regulatory docket. A menthol ban is something that the US Food and Drug Administration under the Biden administration had said was a “top priority.” It sent the final version

By Julianna Bragg, CNN (CNN) — Suzy Hopkins’ life was suddenly turned upside down. After 30 years of marriage, her husband unexpectedly left her to get back together with a former girlfriend, who also happened to be a marriage counselor. Hopkins grappled with a roller coaster of emotions — disbelief, sadness, anger and confusion. At

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — Most adults in the United States drink alcohol, but there is steadily growing public concern about the health effects of moderate drinking. The latest science supports those concerns, but two recent government reports suggest potential benefits exist alongside potential risks – and some experts say that formal dietary recommendations,

By Faye Chiu, CNN (CNN) — For years, medical experts have defined obesity primarily based on body mass index, which measures stored fat by calculating height and weight, to determine a person’s health risks. Major public health organizations, including the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, define adult obesity

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Reaching for a diet soda or artificially sweetened snack to lose weight or to enjoy a few more treats? A growing number of scientists believe that’s not a good idea. After studies found no long-term benefit, the World Health Organization announced in May 2023 that people should not rely

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is associated with a shorter life expectancy and a greater risk of mental health issues, according to a new study of more than 30,000 people with the disorder in the United Kingdom. Men diagnosed with ADHD had a reduction in life expectancy

By Andrea Kane, CNN Editor’s note: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life’s mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — Thanks to smartphones, all the entertainment and distraction they offer can be in your back pocket or purse, accessible 24/7. That’s